1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tonneau cover device for a vehicle having an interlocking means moving a rear end thereof in a substantially vertical direction above a cargo compartment floor of a rear section of a chassis interlocked with opening and closing of a back door, which belongs to the technical field of interior fittings of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cargo compartment floor is provided at a rear section of a chassis, and in certain cases, an opening section for loading and unloading cargo, etc. onto and from the cargo compartment floor and a back door covering the opening section and capable of opening and closing are provided at a rear face of the chassis.
In such a vehicle, a tonneau cover device capable of being deployed substantially horizontally above the cargo compartment floor can be provided in order to prevent cargo having been placed on the cargo compartment floor from being viewed from outside the vehicle via a rear section window, etc.
For example, devices comprising guide rails mounted at a rear end thereof on side-section inner surfaces at the left and right of the chassis, a slider supported by each guide rail so as to be capable of sliding, a tonneau cover having a front end supported by the side-section inner surfaces at the left and right of the chassis and a rear end supported by the sliders, and connecting members connecting the back door and the sliders, and configured so as to turn such that, when the back door opens, the rear end of the tonneau cover moves upwards due to the slider being moved in an upward direction via the connecting member, and when the back door closes, the rear end of the tonneau cover moves downwards due to the slider being moved in a downward direction via the connecting member have been disclosed as this type of tonneau cover device (for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,217). With such a device, a raising operation of the tonneau cover is unnecessary upon loading and unloading cargo, etc. onto and from the cargo compartment floor, thus improving convenience.
It should be noted that, as the tonneau cover device of U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,217 is configured such that the sliders are moved directly upwards and downwards by the connecting members interlocked with opening and closing of the back door, a degree of opening and closing of the back door is limited by a position of the sliders and a degree by which the sliders can move upwards and downwards, etc., and this is also manifested in restricted vehicle-design freedom.